Arsenal's season could be beached at Blackpool

LONDON (Reuters) - Six weeks after talking up the chance of a "quadruple" Arsene Wenger takes his Arsenal team to Blackpool on Sunday knowing that another failure will virtually ensure the club's trophy drought goes into a seventh year.

Not only were they beaten in the final of the League Cup and dumped out of the Champions League and the FA Cup, but Arsenal's league form has slumped too and they now trail Manchester United by seven points, albeit with a game in hand.

United, buoyed by Wednesday's 1-0 Champions League win at Chelsea, have 66 points and will confidently expect to take that tally to 69 at home Fulham on Saturday.

Arsenal have 59, Manchester City, who visit Liverpool on Monday, are third on 56 with Chelsea on 55 ahead of their Saturday home game against Wigan Athletic.

Tottenham Hotspur have slipped back in the race for a Champions League slot and lie fifth on 53 points.

If Arsenal had taken full points from three winnable games against Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers they would be a point behind United with a game in hand and arguably title favourites.

Instead they drew them all and now, even if they beat United in their May. 1 showdown at the Emirates, Alex Ferguson's side would still take the title if they win their other games.

Wenger, whose team thrashed Blackpool 6-0 at the start of the season, seemed at his wit's end after the latest Emirates stalemate against Blackburn, the team who have conceded more goals away from home than any other.
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